Many different types of cleaning agent are known for use within different areas. Examples of such agents include dishwasher powders, washing machine powders, washing-up liquids, agents for washing by hand, general all-purpose cleaners and degreasing agents. Such agents can be made up in a variety of different ways, for example, as powders, liquids or in dosed units such as tablets. A large number of cleaning agents of different types is known from publications.
A common factor of practically all previously known cleaning agents is that they contain tensides (surfactants) of anionic, cationic and/or non-ionic types as active washing and cleaning substances. Tensides constitute a significant component of known cleaning agents and are responsible for the overwhelming part of the cleaning effect. Their amphiphilic molecules with a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic part bind to the particles of dirt and cause them to be suspended in the aqueous phase. This is well known to a skilled person in this area.
The use of tensides is, however, not without objections. From an environmental standpoint especially, it can be objected that the overwhelming proportion of tensides pass out in the waste water once washing has been completed and thereafter increase the load on waste water purification plants or on the watercourse. Many tensides are also difficult to break down by biological means and cause a significant increase in the oxygen consumption in purification plants or the watercourse. Such reasons have led to a greater desire to minimise the use of tensides in washing and cleaning agents, and the increased environmental awareness has made such aspirations even more noticeable.